Hoka Mach X
The Stats:
Mileage at time of review: 55
MEN: 9.2 OZ
WOMEN: 8 OZ
DROP: 5MM
MSRP: $180
Initial Thoughts
I was very excited when this shoe was announced for a number of reasons. This was the first shoe that was going to be available from Hoka in running retail that utilized two components I’ve wanted to see from Hoka for a while: Pebax and an actual rubber outsole! (The Rocket X2 is a fantastic shoe from Hoka with a full pebax midsole and a carbon plate, but it was only available direct to consumer, and while I know that is a trend, I really hope that changes for their next race shoe.) Hoka has also done a great job of offering a number of high cushion daily trainers but until the Rocket X2 they hadn’t really nailed the super shoe race option, and with the advent of the super trainer* I was really looking forward to see what they would do in this category.
Going Through the Shoe
The Outsole
I like to move through the shoes from bottom to top. If you talk to anyone on the streets about what the biggest shortcoming to wearing a Hoka in the last decade is, (looks aside) I would be willing to bet that the durability of the outsole/midsole comes up. Hoka is notorious for putting some sort of rubberized EVA on the bottom of their shoes that do two things: wear down quickly and get nice and slick in wet conditions. When I saw that this shoe has actual rubber outsole I was pumped!
While I can’t find any mention of what the rubber compound is, the rubber on the bottom of the Mach X definitely does the job of increasing durability and should provide extra life and miles for you.
When it comes to traction in wet conditions, the rubber definitely helps, but I do think this is an area that Hoka still needs to work on. I will be the first to say that due to different stride lengths and the positions in which our feet land when we run, we will all experience this differently; however, for my stride, I found that in wet conditions when I was trying to pick up the pace and push it that my left foot in particular had a bit more slip on the pavement than my right. This could also have been affected by the fact that in Pearland, concrete is used for everything and I don’t think that this would be an issue on asphalt.
The Midsole
The midsole on the Mach X is a thing of beauty that Hoka calls the ProFly X Midsole. In their own words it is a Pebax plate sandwiched between layers of EVA below and Peba above. This combination is one that I have not seen in any other shoe and one that I was excited to try. The PEBA layer gives a soft step in feel as well as excellent energy return. The plate gives extra responsiveness while the lower EVA layer gives a sense of stability that I feel a lot of super shoes lack, especially for someone my size.
The Pebax plate gives an excellent sense of response and push off, especially as I push the pace into my tempo and interval speeds. It is not nearly as rigid as a carbon plate, which also lends itself to this being a shoe that you can really do everything in. It runs easily very well, but has the get up and go to push the pace and keep the turnover going in the legs, even when you’re getting tired.
Combining the PEBA midsole layer with an EVA layer makes this shoe unique in the super trainer realm, even if you were just to put a regular poly composite plate in the shoe instead of a Pebax plate. I really enjoy the sensation of the PEBA layer but as a runner over 200 lbs, shoes with an entire midsole of PEBA can feel a little wobbly as my run continues, especially in the heel. Hoka has done a great job of making this a shoe that anyone can use by adding that EVA base layer that firms up and provides extra structure for runners of all shapes, sizes and speeds.
The Upper
In most cases I don’t have a lot to say about the upper of a shoe as long as it keeps my foot connected to the midsole, I’ve always been a bit more concerned with what is under my feet than over. I do find that this upper is nice and roomy and didn’t create any hot spots. For a super shoe it has a nice wide open toe box, but one of my favorite features of the upper are the shoe strings. They have an elastic stretchy feel to them, and they might be the only laces I’m comfortable not double knotting (though I still do out of habit.)
I am always a fan of the gusseted tongue so that I don’t have to stop my run and move the tongue back into place to keep the laces from biting into my foot. The heel collar has excellent cushion and I felt very secure with the upper. While I do have some concerns that the shoe is a little on the short side, the depth of the upper makes up for any missing length in most cases. I normally wear a size 10 and didn’t have any issues at any distance running in a 10 on this shoe either.
Applications
Running
This is an incredibly versatile shoe, which it is designed to be. I really have enjoyed every mile that I have put into them, whether I am out for an easy run or pushing the paces in a workout.
In the Carbon X line Hoka never quite managed to nail the balance between the EVA midsole and a carbon plate. It may be that EVA as it is currently formulated will always be too rigid and stiff on its own for a carbon plate, but this balance between Peba and EVA for me strikes a really interesting balance. Will we see a line of Mach X variations that include a carbon plate on a higher price point and a Pebax plate in the training category? I don’t know how they will procede with the line or if the Rocket X line and the Mach X line will continue to be complimentary to each other, but I think that in the training category, the Mach X is a shoe that everyone should be watching.
I also think that the Mach X will make a great racing shoe for a wide range of runners.
If you usually do a majority of your training in a stability shoe (ie the Arahi, Gaviota, Adrenaline, Guide etc) then the added stability of the EVA in the midsole would make this, in my opinion, a top consideration for a racing shoe as it gives the extra pop and assist in turnover during a race, while not being as rough on the ankles for runners who over-pronate.
This will also make a great racing shoe for runners who employ a run/walk method, for the same reason. I find that in many of the new racing shoes, if you stop to walk the heel tends to be a bit wobbly. Compound that over the course of a half or full marathon course and the affect will take its toll on the race. With the addition of the EVA lower midsole, I have enjoyed walking in this shoe just as much as I have enjoyed running in it.
Work
This shoe is built to be a runner and at the $180 price point I generally recommend that this shoe be used as a running shoe only. The price is a little on the steep side for what I would use for a work shoe, however, if you have any medical issues that require a soft feeling shoe with less bend in the forefoot when you are walking or standing, this shoe should definitely be kept in consideration. If the price isn’t a restricting factor then this shoe would absolutely be comfortable to stand in at work if you’re on your feet all day.
Gym
The question of is this a good gym shoe is always a loaded one for me. The question is so dependent on what you’re doing that I generally prefer to say what in the gym this wouldn’t be great for. If you’re doing heavy, olympic style lifting (deadlifts, squats, other highly technical lifts) this isn’t the shoe for it. If you’re heading to the gym and you’re gonna get a run done and then do some body weight work or machine lifting, then I wouldn’t worry about switching shoes between. It would also do well for almost any exercise class I have participated in, though again, at the price point, I’m probably saving these for my running miles only.
Final Thoughts
Overall I have really enjoyed the miles that I have put on this shoe and I intend to put many more on them as well. I think that this is truly one of the most versatile shoes that Hoka has released this year. The stability that the dual density midsole provides makes this an excellent choice for a racing shoe for anyone, but especially for runners who employ a run/walk method or those who usually train in stability shoes.
While I do think that there are some improvements left to be made, this shoe represents a huge step forward for Hoka. I hope they will continue to develop this line and move some of these improvements (especially the rubber outsole) over to their other shoe lines as well.
Purchase the Hoka Mach X at Wild Pear Running
*shoutout to the folks at Believe in the Run for creating the super trainer term